Irondequoit Dems want mall PILOT pact scrapped

The tax payment plan negotiated for Medley Centre owner Scott Congel’s redevelopment work should be scrapped because of inactivity, Irondequoit Democrats said Friday.

“The current town administration has said it doesn’t have leverage to stand up on behalf of taxpayers,” town supervisor candidate Adam Bello said in a statement from the Monroe County Democratic Committee.

“We beg to differ, and vow to send a clear message to Mr. Congel that he must begin redeveloping the mall. Above all, we will not tolerate allowing it to remain in its current state.”

Town board candidates Lorie Barnum and David Seeley joined Bello in calling for the termination of the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement approved by the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency in 2009.

Congel is in default because he has not reached the PILOT’s $165 million investment threshold, the candidates said.

The candidates, if elected, vowed to push Congel to fulfill his obligations, and to create a task force to counsel the town board on future development of the property.

In a response from the Monroe County Republican Party, Chairman William Reilich called Bello a hypocrite.

“Adam Bello today backpedaled on a tax break negotiated by Democrats when they controlled Irondequoit Town Hall,” Reilich said.

“Not only did Adam serve as the top political advisor to the town supervisor who negotiated the deal, his own mother sat on the town board that approved the PILOT.”